Life Is But A Dream
by kerina-chan
Summary: It was just supposed to be a game - an escape from reality, yes, but never a cage. She didn't ask for this. She's terrified, of the consequences of failing; but she can't think of that. She has a little sister to protect. She must do what she can to beat the game. No matter the cost.
1. Link Start!

_November 6th 2022 1:09am_

_ Kiri –_ **"OMG"**

_ Kiri_ – **"SAO"**

_ Kiri – _ **"TODAY"**

_Kiri -_ **"HKDTRHJES="**_  
><em>

_Kiri -_ ***hyperventilating***

_Calli -_ **"we no -_-"**

_ Calli –_ **"thats all youv been tlking bout lol"**

_Kiri –_ **_ "_I'm just so excited!" **

_Kiri_ – **"! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !**! ! ! ! ! ! !**"**

_ Kiri –_ **"! ! ! ! ! ! ! **! ! ! ! ! ! !**! ! ! ! ! ! !**! ! ! ! ! ! !**! ! ! ! ! ! !**! ! ! ! ! ! !**! ! ! ! ! ! !**! ! ! ! ! ! !**************"**

_Kiri –_ ** "!"**

_Miria –_ **"My computer x_x" **

_Calli_ – **"supr lag."**

_Kiri –_ **"Oh come on! Don't tell me you two aren't excited for THE BEST GAME TO EVER BE RELEASED."**

_Kiri –_ **"My cousin was a beta tester. He said the graphics were amazing! (can you even call it graphics lol?")**

_Calli_ – **"I thnk u killed my cmpter wth ur spam…"**

_Miria_ –** "Of course it's amazing. It's the Nervgear! I'll probably abandon life itself once the game's in my hands xD"**

_Miria –_ **"My mum's given me and my sis enough money for two copies! We already got the Nervgears, so we're gonna get up extra early tomorrow to make it to the sale."**

_Kiri_ – **"We should totally meet up in game!"**

_Calli_ – **"my mum won't get me 1 for Christmas…" **

_Calli –_ ** "I'm jelly…:("**

_Miria_ –**":("**

_Kiri –_ **"Start saving for one behind her back! Then, since it's your own money, she can't object to you buying it!"**

_Calli –_ **"yea i will. once i get a job lol"**

_Miria – _ **"ugh it's late. I have to be up by five tomorrow."**

_Kiri –_ **"I'm not sleeping because I'M TOO PUMPED 8D"**

_Miria –_ ** "yeah well night guys! :)"**

_Calli –_ ** "nite"**

_Kiri –_ **"nighty-o~"**

November 6th

_ "You have – 300 new messages." _

Something sharp hit Miri's head, and she awoke with a strangled yelp. For a moment everything felt foreign and strange, as though she was still within a dream. Pulling herself straight, Miri rubbed the sleep from her eyes and focused on detangling her knotted thoughts. Slowly her surroundings swam back into place. A computer monitor stared back at her, the steady rhythm of the continued chat between Kiri and Calli filling the screen with black scribbles about gaming, food and who the cutest boy was in a new sailing anime.

It was only then that Miri realized that she had fallen asleep at the computer. Her messy room was the same as always – blankets on the floor, gaming consoles both old and new scattered about with very little organization. The familiar scenery comforted Miri and she stretched and yawned. With a final sigh Miri leaned closer to the monitor, and spoke a slurred voice command.

"Time?"

For a few seconds there was no reply. Then – _"I'm sorry – could you repeat that?"_

With a frustrated scowl Miri gave the monitor a firm thump and repeated the command. "Time?" _You good for nothing piece of old junk._ Her computer's in-built microphone was useless, hardly picking up any of the commands she spoke. Still, that's what she got for buying one of the earlier models in voice controlled computers.

_"The time is 7:30am."_ For a moment the systematic female voice barely registered with Miri. She blinked at the monitor, surprised. Swiping her finger across the screen, Miri opened the control panel and selected the time and date option from the menu. There was the time, as plain as day – 7:30am.

"Crap!"

She was out of the chair in an instant. With one hand ripping a comb through her hair and another pulling on a pair of odd socks, the girl stumbled hopelessly about her room as she looked for any respectable looking garments to wear out to town.

There was none.

She really needed to start buying new clothes with her spending money.

She finally settled on a plain white t-shirt, dusted with crumbs as it was, and some old trousers. It wasn't what her mother would call going out clothes – more like clothes that should never see the light of day again – but since her mother was out with one of her new boyfriends again, she couldn't dictate what she could wear.

Miri sighed and looked at herself in the mirror. It wasn't perfect. But nobody would be looking at her. Their eyes would all be on the gaming stores. She was about to enter a battlefield where only the fastest and strongest would survive – and where the slow and dull-witted would ultimately perish in the cold autumn air, moving at a snail's pace down a line stretching back many streets.

Miri rubbed her hands and looked with determination at her reflection. _I'm ready! Let it begin!_

* * *

><p>"Saki! Wake up!"<p>

Miri groaned in annoyance. With a hard fist she knocked (or, more or less, hit) her sister's door repeatedly. On the other side she heard her eight year old sister's rebellious voice.

"Go 'way, go 'way!"

"Saki, I'm serious! If you don't get up now, I'll leave you behind!"

"Don't wanna go to gaming today," Saki mumbled. "Wanna sleep…"

The door swung open. Saki hissed as light flooded her dark room. She peered out from beneath her blankets, squinting meanly. "Okay, get up." Miri used her most commanding voice for this as she stood threateningly over Saki's bed.

"Noooooooo!" Saki wrapped herself tighter in her cocoon of blankets. Well there went Plan One. Plan One for getting Saki up rarely worked.

The young child knew what was coming next. Miri grabbed the edge of the sheet and gave it a quick but sharp yank. The cocoon of blankets unfolded and exposed her young sister, who groaned in annoyance but still refused to admit defeat. Plan Two didn't seem to work much either.

"You really don't want to get up?"

Saki shook her head.

"Even though you know what's coming next?"

She nodded.

"The stores'll open in half an hour. Come on, Saki, I really wanna get Sword Art Online! There'll already be heaps of crowds!"

Saki pretended to snore.

Miri sighed. Why did most mornings have to play out with Miri kicking the door down and dragging her damn sister's lazy ass out of bed? If only Saki would comply, but she was currently going through a rebellious phase and preferred to try and get her own way, no matter how many times she failed. With a careless yank Miri dragged her sister onto the floor by her leg. Saki stayed limp as Miri dragged her out the doorway and into the corridor.

Then, without warning, Miri lightly began to tickle Saki's feet.

It didn't take much for Saki to scream out in laughter and kick at the air with her legs and hands. She was extremely sensitive when it came to tickling, and Miri knew this was Saki's ultimate weak point, the only way to get her to wake up in time. Giggling and breathing hard, Saki finally began to wail, "Stop! Stop! Stop it, stop it, stop it!"

"And if I stop it…?" Miri lightly teased.

"I'll get up, I'll get up, I'LL GET UP!"

Her cry echoed through the hallway and, after a few more seconds of torturing Saki, she finally let go. Saki gasped for air and immediately stood up, before placing a safe distance between herself and her 'evil' sister, whom she glared venomously at.

"You do know we're going out today, right?" she said breezily, giving her sister a wink. "There's that huge sale going on! We need to have breakfast now to beat the morning rush."

At the word 'breakfast' Saki's mood abruptly lifted. "Can we have pancakes? With heaps of syrup?"

"Didn't we have pancakes yesterday?"

She frowned. "But I want them again."

"Mum said no." With a careless wave of her hand Miri found her wallet and counted the money her mother had given her.

"It's just a stupid mmo," came her sister's mutter. "Why'd you have to drag me out of bed for it?"

"You know why! Something about sibling friendship and sharing your crap or whatever…"

Saki eyed Miri with a raised eyebrow, and smiled. "I thought mum told you to dress nice?"

Miri grinned. "Well mum's not here now, is she?"

"Then I should get my pancakes!"

"We don't have time! Besides, when mum's not here, I make the rules. You get toast." Without another word Miri took off downstairs, excitement surging through her veins.

"Hey, wait-!"

The two continued their back and forward arguments, as Miri, laughing, began making her sister's breakfast. She herself was too giddy to eat, though she packed a muesli in case she found herself hungry later. As Saki dressed, Miri turned on their antique radio – an old, dusty thing from the early 2010s – and listened as the device locked on to a signal.

Saki returned from upstairs and sat down at the kitchen table. Taking a bite of the toast, she gave her sister a playful thumbs down.

"As usual, terrible and burnt. One outta ten!"

"Shut up! Kayaba Akihiko's announcing the release of Sword Art Online on the radio!"

"Kayaba Akiwho?"

"Be quiet!"

As the radio crackled, a fuzzy voice filled the room. Miri clapped her hands, her eyes wide with awe as Kayaba began to speak.

"It's been many years in development, but we've finally released it for the general public. It would be a lie to say this device hasn't had its fair share of ups and downs – but those who thought creating the Nervgear would be impossible are now proven sorely wrong. Sword Art Online is the first massive multiplayer RPG for the good folks of Tokyo. It's safe, fun and boasts graphics so realistic you'd think you're living the life of your rpg character, as opposed to just playing a game."

The radio announcer's voice replied, "Critics who have received the game beforehand have given it glowing reviews. So be sure to grab a copy of Sword Art Online before it's sold out!"

The radio lost connection, and started crackling statically. Saki, who decided Miri's toast was much better to play with rather than to eat, barely spared her sister a glance as Miri slung a bag over her shoulder and grabbed the house keys from the bench. "Come on," she yelled, "before mum gets back!"

Saki reluctantly followed her lead. Miri grasped her hand in her own and ushered her along. The two rushed out into the crowded streets of Tokyo, the morning lit up by flashing lights and advertisements for the Nervgear and Sword Art Online.

* * *

><p>"This is taking way too long."<p>

Saki clung close to Miri. She flinched when a forty year old man pushed roughly past. "Everybody's pushing. Are we there yet?"

"Nearly." Even Miri found herself annoyed. Everybody was shoving their way in front. Whenever the line seemed to move forward, it would abruptly move back as more people shoved before the two.

This is a battlefield! I might be twelve, but I won't lose to these guys! I gotta be stealthy…like a rogue…"

"And you got me up early for this…"

"Just be quiet and eat your ice cream."

Well, Saki had to admit that the ice cream was delicious. There were food stalls lining the streets of Akihabara. People were selling sweets, deserts and even full course breakfasts. They were even stylizing the food to fit with the MMO theme.

If only she had known the morning rush would be this bad. Many gamers must have been waiting by the shops since yesterday afternoon. She wished she had preordered the game online, though mum refused to lend her credit card.

Miri was about to admit defeat, when Saki gave her a sharp nudge.

"Ouch! The hell was that for?"

"That's a game place right? I think it's open."

True. Another store had opened up. Its shelves were lined with copies of Sword Art Online. Among the crowded streets, only a few had noticed the new shop. Miri wasted no time.

Like a hunter!

"Come on. Before anyone else notices."

Miri broke away from the line. Sneakily, she took a few casual steps forward; before bolting to the entrance. Saki laughed excitedly behind her. It was near winter, though she was grateful for the cold air-conditioning inside the store. She brushed the sweat off her forehead. She deserved a moment's rest.

Though, of course, she couldn't relax just yet. The shop was beginning to flood with people. Both agitated and eager to escape the craziness of Akihabara, Miri ruthlessly pushed between two boys and chose two copies of Sword Art Online.

The sisters were first at the counter. Miri held her ground, though if anyone attempted to shove past Saki would send them a withering glare like death.

The salesperson eyed Saki sceptically, after seeing the age rating of Sword Art Online. However, she simply shrugged it off and stuffed the cash inside the register. "Here you go," the shopkeeper droned, handing them two their two copies of Sword Art Online. "Have a lovely day."

Miri didn't need to reply. She hurried Saki out of the store. Finally the nightmare was over. Half an hour later they were out of Akihabara, the two sisters thankful for the clean air.

"Well," said Miri, after the two had had their rest, "let's go home. We gotta try this game out!"

* * *

><p>November 6th 1:07pm<p>

The air of the attic was stale and pungent. Miri hated the smell.

"Yuck! You know I hate the attic! Why can't we go somewhere else?" muttered Saki.

Miri coughed. A fitful of dust rained down on the two. "I don't want any distractions…Mum and her boyfriend'll be home soon."

Saki sneezed. "So how long does it take to play it? I wanna play now."

Miri ignored her sister, and instead felt along the Nervgear's metal. It was a heavy helmet, resembling, what she would think to be, alien technology. Saki cleared her throat in annoyance.

"Hey! Don't ignore me!"

"Relax. There's not much to it." Excited and playful, Miri plonked Saki's Nervgear on her sister's head. "There you go! It really suits you. It could be your new hat!"

Saki felt the helmet curiously. "It feels…weird," she said. Miri could almost laugh at the serious look on Saki's face. She looked as though she was seriously critiquing the console. "I'm not sure I like it."

"Whatever. Come on, it should be ready to play now. You ready?"

Saki nodded. Miri gave her a reassuring thump on her helmet.

"To start, you just say 'LINK START!' Or something. You'll be fine. Read the manual if you need help"

"That's a pretty stupid thing to say," Saki said, her face a bit lighter. Then she realized Miri was going before her. "Oh wait! Miri, can you go last? I'm not scared or anything! I just thought-"

Miri had already connected her Nervgear. She flicked the switch to 'on'. "Remember! LINK. START!"

* * *

><p>Tunnels of colour swam into sight. Red, blue, purple, green…Miri felt slightly overwhelmed by it all.<p>

_Welcome. To start, touch any part of your body to calibrate._

It took a moment for Miri to figure out what was going on.

Exhilaration surged through her veins when she did.

This is the game…She felt her heart flutter in excitement. Oh my god! It's amazing! She was seeing this. Seeing it! Experiencing it! Not on some boring old computer screen, no – but in reality itself. This was real – or, as real as it could get anyway.

She hurriedly calibrated by touching her shoulder, head, and knees. She looked on in fascination as another message appeared before her eyes.

_Thank you. Please wait while your game loads._

Miri would never have guessed that a simple loading screen could be so full of suspense.

She could barely control her thoughts. What would she do first? Well in mmos she barely bothered with the story arcs. Instead, she had been more interested in joining guilds, or going on quests with friends. That was how she'd met Kiri and Callie after all. But since this was a virtual reality…well, maybe the story could be some fun? It would look real to her, after all. It wouldn't just be a click-at-the-screen-and-hope-to-win kind of game. Even grinding to higher levels sounded appealing. Her mind surged with possibilities – people she'd meet, guilds she'd join, hours she'd waste in a world so different from her own…

An automated voice message jolted her from her thoughts.

_Welcome to Sword Art Online. Please login._

She was glad she'd set up an account for her and Saki beforehand. Sword Art Online's website was helpful for stuff like that. She only hoped Saki would understand what to do.

Username: Miriane717

Password: ********

_ Thank you for logging in. Please create your character. _

The character creation section would have been standard, if it were on a computer. Still, it was neat how the Nervgear automatically translated her real-life body to the game. She looked at herself long and hard, slightly unnerved by the lifelike graphics. Then she began to edit.

No longer would her hair be boring and limp! No, no, no, no. She would keep it black, like that of a warrior, but do it up in braids and adorn it with flowers. Her eyes would be the brightest blue she could think of – as opposed to her rather boring dull hazel. And…let's see…

She looked for more changes to make. She decided she'd make herself tougher than what she already was in real life. Some muscle here and there would do… With a serious hum Miri set to work, dressing her character in lovely clothing. Something black…nothing too revealing, but nothing too clunky either. She ended up choosing a black blouse, covered by an equally dark blazer. She liked the look of black tights covered by a skirt, and ending with heavy boots with white laces.

Well that looked interesting. She smiled proudly at her handiwork – though it did need something more…

She finished off with some chest and shoulder armour. She wondered how long she had been at work; scrolling through menus and menus of different clothing items and body options.

It only occurred to her when she pressed 'okay' that Saki was probably waiting. She was too excited to really worry how she'd handle the game, though either way, surely Saki was smart enough to figure out how to open a menu. She could just logout if she had to.

Loading…loading…loading…loading…

More tunnels of light. She squinted. Felt her heart beat faster. This was what she'd been waiting for, for months and months…this was any gamer's dream.

The tunnels of light dissipated. The white glow of the background faded away. She was momentarily blinded as vivid colors filled her vision. The distant chatter of people became louder, and louder, until everything was in focus.

Miri rubbed her eyes. Then, looked down at her hands. They were…hers. She took a step forward. Open and closed her fists. Her in-game body did feel weird. Though she was sure she'd get used to it.

She took a few more steps. The bodies of people were materializing. People in groups, people solo, people taking their first steps into the game. A giddy freedom settled over Miri. This. Was. Amazing.

Slowly she got used to how her body felt. She took off at a running pace, feeling the gravel beneath her feet. A soft breeze tickled her ears. People spoke loudly; some had to scream to be heard above the noise. Normally such loud voices would have bothered her. But today was not normal. Today was a wonderful day. Today was a good enough reason to scream and shout and talk.

For a long time Miri ran. Letting the feeling of pure elation take over. The wind to her body, the ground to her feet, the sound to her ears and the light to her eyes…all of it was fake, she knew, yet it had never felt so good.

Saki didn't share her feelings, however.

Miri collapsed on the ground, laughing, only to be greeted by the face of a frowning child above.

"H-Hello?" she said, confused as to who this child was. The girl had pink hair, which pointed to the top of the sky. It almost resembled an ice cream cone upside down. Her eyes were the same bright pink. She also wore a blue-and-pink blouse, with a cotton candy skirt. She had the appearance of a comical cartoon character.

"May I help you…?" Miri went on. The girl seemed hurt by this question.

"No! No, you may not help me, 'cause you freaking failed at helping me before!"

The voice made Miri startle. No way…

"Saki?"

She couldn't help it. She started giggling madly. "Oh my god, Saki! You look like an anime character gone wrong."

The girl started to tear up. "It's not funny!" she wailed, causing a few people to turn and look. "You know I'm bad at games and stuff! And mum told you to watch me! You're the worst!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she laughed, though she didn't really mean it. "I kid, I kid. You look cute!"

"Liar…"

"No, really. You look like…a candy cane! Yeah. A pretty, multi-coloured candy cane. Nothing wrong with that, you know?"

"Weren't you worried about me?" she sobbed, though much quieter now. "Cause I was really scared."

"W-Well…" A twinge of guilt pinched her heart, snapping back her senses. "I figured you were old enough to know how to work a menu," she answered truthfully.

Saki blushed and turned her head away. "Yeah well…it's harder than it looks, okay?"

"Wow, Saki. You didn't know how to open the menu? That's a new kind of low. Even for you."

"Shut up!" She gave Miri a punch in the shoulder, a smile returning. "A-Anyway. Can we explore now? This place is huge! They've got shops and everything! Hey, is what we buy here given to us in the real world?"

Miri didn't even want to justify the stupidity of that question with an answer. She hauled herself to her feet. Right – they couldn't stay here forever. Today they'd look around, get to the first floor…Secretly she hoped the game would soon bore Saki. She wanted to join some guilds, though she wasn't sure how she could when her little sister trailed her around. And she was curious about how the fighting system worked too.

Aincrad was the name of the Sword Art Online universe, and boasted 100 floors. That was a lot of grinding. Finding a guild before she tried battling the bosses seemed like the best bet.

Saki sprung ahead, looking fascinated. "Hey, Miri, it's so real! Ohhh look at that! Can we go see what that is? Look, look, look!"

They left starting square behind and ventured into the city. Soon, Miri forgot she was even playing a game. They wandered around, looking at the shops, only to realize they had no money to buy anything. Saki often got lost in the crowd. Though thankfully Miri had remembered to add her as a friend, and taught her how to use the menu screen.

For the rest of the day they hung around the city, savouring the smells of food they hadn't tried before. Saki kept pointing at all the cute girls in the game, and explaining wisely how half of them would be men. The two ventured around in circles, until they finally decided to just walk in a straight line. They both ended up distracted on several occasions however. The alleyways, the shops, the freedom of their virtual world…nothing could compare. If Miri could choose where she would like to live, she wouldn't hesitate to answer the obvious. If only Sword Art Online were reality. If only they didn't have to logout.

* * *

><p><em> November 6th 5:25pm <em>

The two sisters had tired themselves. The exploration had been a long one; they had wandered around nearly half the city, and had found themselves lost on several occasions.

Miri hadn't even realized how much time had passed. It was nearly five thirty. Mum would probably be making dinner by now. She felt her stomach rumble at the thought of steaming hot rice, and delicately made fish.

Still, Miri didn't want to leave. Not yet anyway. The sunset here was vivid. Golden clouds rippled across a horizon painted red and pink. The sky felt so close…she was almost sure she could touch it.

Among the scene flew a solitary crow – or, at least, it looked like a crow. It seemed far too big to be even a raven on further inspection. When the bird flew lower, and closer, she realized its eyes were bloodshot. And horns curled out of its head. The bird may have noticed her gaze, for it turned to glare at her. For a few moments the world seemed still.

Then, the creature screeched, and flew away.

She felt an involuntary shiver curl up her spine.

She had to remind herself it was just a game. None of it was real. Her natural instinct was telling her to run – though she knew it couldn't hurt her. It was only something made out of data after all. There was nothing to be frightened of.

_I'm being silly._ Though it was time to leave anyway. Their mum would be angry if they stayed any longer.

Saki was not far off, attempting to climb a tree – and failing. When she saw Miri she waved. Well it seemed Saki wasn't bored at all. She could just logon late at night if she wanted some time to herself – anyway, Saki got tired of games quickly. And she was glad that, for now, she was having fun.

"Come on. We should go. I'm hungry and mum'll be making dinner now."

"Yeah…" Shrugging, Saki opened the menu and scrolled down. "Can't we just stay a bit longer…? You can go, and I'll stay here."

"I would if I could, believe me," Miri said carelessly, "but you know I can't."

Saki paused for a moment. Then, she nodded. "Being young sucks…" she said wisely, as though she had lived so many years in youth she had the experience to speak of its evil.

Miri sighed. "What sucks is being responsible. It'd be nice if we could trade places, for a day or something. But whatever. Hey, does the logout button work for you?"

There was no logout button. Just a blank space where it was supposed to be. Miri cocked her head, confused. When she pressed it nothing happened.

"Hm. Must be a glitch."

Saki was vigorously pressing hers. "What happens now?" she said. "Are we stuck?"

"Well it should be fixed up soon enough. We just wait and see how we go." She noted the time –5:30. The excitement of today had made her sleepy. She just wanted dinner, and then maybe she could come back online when Saki was asleep.

"Can I go play?"

"Sure."

Her stomach rumbled louder. If only they'd gone to the first floor and killed some monsters for money or something. She read in the manual that there was a hunger gauge, and that in-game food was essential to replenish it and dispel in-game hunger.

Right when Saki was back on her tree, swinging from the branch, did the bells ring.

Saki dropped mid swing and looked about in confusion. Miri froze, startled by the high-pitched sound. Miri turned back and looked inside the city. People were still, watching the sky; some were complaining about the glitch, and others hadn't even noticed the button had gone.

Then, they started to disappear.

It was so quick Miri barely understood what had happened. One minute she was sitting on the grass, lazing about with Saki after a tiring day; and the next, she was among a throng of people, pushed about in the crowd, suddenly aware something was very, very wrong.

"S-Saki!"

People were murmuring to each other in confusion. Some loudly yelling their confusion. Her voice was lost among the aimless noise. Miri covered her ears, suddenly scared. More people were teleporting into the square. Her eyes flicked from face to face, but none of them were familiar.

She tried to calm herself. She was just being stupid. Delirious. It was only virtual reality. They must have been teleported here by the admins of the game or by whoever was watching over this place. It was just an announcement of some sort. About the glitch. Yeah…that'd make sense.

Saki would be fine. They'd meet up once the logout button was there again. It wasn't a problem.

Miri hadn't the time to worry anyway. All at once the chattering stopped. People were looking upwards, at the sky, which was now fractured into a million hexagons. Is the system breaking down? It was a silly thought, but one she couldn't get out of her head. What's going on?

Someone screamed. Rightfully so.

For from these hexagons came blood. Thick, dark, sickening blood. Pouring from the sky above. Miri couldn't take her eyes off the sky, as the blood slowly melted together, twisted and turned, forming an equally red cloak and what looked like a floor's boss. She really did feel delirious now. It all felt like a dream – blood, people pushing and shoving, pounding head…

The only thing that kept her in reality – kept her attention on the horrible figure now looming above – was his deep, rich voice.

"Attention, players. Welcome to my world. I am Kayaba Akihiko."

Kayaba Akihiko. His face was hidden inside the darkness of his cloak. He held out his arms, speaking down to them all. This man. She had admired him for so long for his expertise. When Sword Art Online had been announced she'd researched him to the point of becoming a crazy fangirl. She should have been thrilled to see her idol.

But she wasn't.

'His' world.

"As of this moment, I am the sole person who can control this world."

At once a surge of mutterings began among the crowd.

"Is that really him?"

"Kayaba Akihiko? The creator of this game?"

"He must have spent a lot of time on this…"

"I am sure you already noticed," he continued on, "that the logout is missing from the main menu." He paused. The crowd paused too. The pushing and shoving stopped.

Kayaba accessed the menu and scrolled down the screen. "But this is not a defect in the game," he finally said.

Miri could almost hear the thumping of her heart. A growing panic built in her chest. His ominous words rung loud in her ears.

"I repeat…This is not a defect in the game. It is feature of Sword Art Online."

"What…?" she heard a young boy laugh, though his voice was shaking.

"A…feature?"

"I don't get it?"

"This's gotta be a joke."

"You cannot logout of SAO yourselves. And no one on the outside can shut down, or remove your Nervgear. Should this be attempted, the transmitter inside the Nervgear will emit a powerful microwave, destroying your brain and thus ending your life."

"Huh…?"

"If this is a joke…it's a really sick one."

"Seriously…?"

She heard a loud voice above all the others. "Come on. Enough already. Let's go." A guy marched through the crowd, his girlfriend trailing along behind him. He made it to the exit of the square – then hit what must have been an invisible wall. "Hey! I can't get out!"

She turned away from the boy. The transmitter huh…powerful enough to fry a brain? That sounded about right. But then – if that was the truth – everybody playing Sword Art Online was screwed.

Herself.

That boy.

Saki.

No…it can't be…it's just a joke – that's all it can be…right?

"Unfortunately, several players' friends and families have ignored this warning and have attempted to remove the Nervgear. As a result, 213 players are gone forever, from both Aincrad and the real world."

213…already? No. This had to be a sick joke. This was impossible. She…she refused to believe it – that…that…

Kayaba barely allowed them to process that information before moving onto the next. "As you can see," he went on calmly, opening windows of various news sites from across the globe, "news organizations from across the world are reporting all of this, including the deaths."

She read one of the headlines to one window – reading, Multiple Victims in Online Game Incident. There was a photo of two men on the cover. She felt sick. She clutched her stomach, fully prepared to retch, hoping the nightmare would end soon. It was impossible. Impossible…

Impossible, impossible, impossible, impossible…

"Thus, you can assume that the danger of a Nervgear being removed is now minimal."

She heard the person next to her snap in frustration. "And we're meant to be happy 'bout that?"

Beside him a girl was on her knees, weeping.

To her left a boy looked, numb in disbelief, at the sky.

"I hope you will relax and attempt to clear the game."

Clear…the game?

"But I want you to remember this clearly. There is no longer any method to revive someone within the game. If your HP drops to zero, your avatar will be forever lost." The windows abruptly closed.

Yet again, the crowd became silent, everyone's breath paused, the quiet only broken by those already swearing or sobbing.

"And simultaneously…the Nervgear will destroy your brain."

In other words...die in-game…and die in real life?

"There is only one means of escape," Kayaba said, after letting them digest that. "To complete the game. You are presently on the lowest floor of Aincrad, floor one. If you make your way through the dungeon and defeat the floor boss, you may advance to the next level. Defeat the final boss on Floor 100, and you will clear the game."

"Clear…?"

"What's he talking about?"

"Y-You're just making that up!" the boy from before shouted.

"But it's impossible to clear a hundred floors…especially that of an mmo," a fair-haired blond lady mused. "I just don't understand the objective."

Kayaba ignored them. "Finally," he said, "I've added a present from me to your item storage. Please see for yourselves."

Miri barely had the energy to open the menu. What bad news would await her now? A present? Weak, she managed to force herself to open the item window. There, a new item appeared in the list.

Mirror…?

She hesitated. Then, slowly, she touched the item's name. A shining mirror materialized in her hands, its sheen glass catching her avatar's reflection.

She stared at her reflection, dazed, waiting for something to fall from the sky and crush her under its weight. Or for the mirror to suddenly glow so bright, it would burn her eyes out.

A splinter of pain cut through her wrist. She clutched her hand, a whimper escaping her throat.

The pain subsided as quickly as it had come. She opened her eyes and fumbled to position the mirror correctly. She wasn't sure what she was attempting to do.

The square was enveloped with a blinding white light. When the light faded away, something felt different with her body.

The mirror caught her reflection again. But this time it wasn't that of her avatar.

The hair she had designed remained the same. However, everything else was undeniably…herself. Gaunt face, shadows under eyes, tall and lanky and hardly looking very nourished.

She glanced around. Everybody else was looking different too. The boy from before was yelling at his supposed 'girlfriend' – actually a middle aged man who looked fairly odd in his pink dress.

Normally she would've laughed at such a comical scene. This was far from funny though. The further this joke went on, the less it became like a joke and the more it felt disturbingly real. She looked at the mirror again, her eyes a watery mess. She then threw it at the ground, and it shattered into a million blue shards. Kayaba was still overhead. Observing them. Watching them in amusement, she might've guessed.

Finally Kayaba had enough observation. "Right now you're probably wondering 'why?'" he said, to which Miri wanted to scream 'what do you think?!' "Why would Kayaba Akihiko, developer of Sword Art Online and the Nervgear, do all this?" He paused.

"My goal has already been achieved. I created Sword Art Online for one reason. To create this world and intervene in it."

To become a God?

"And now, it is complete."

More silence. More deafening, echoing silence.

"This ends the tutorial for the official Sword Art Online launch. Good luck players."

The cloak began to glitch. The sound of static filled the air. Red steam poured up from the cloak, as it was broken from its suspension; it twisted and bent, and was lifted back into the hexagons. The silence continued, until the red alert warnings disappeared. The sky became normal again. A magnificent golden horizon, streaked with clouds. It looked like a scene from a painting.

No one paid attention to that though. Instead, the silence continued for a moment longer. Miri continued to stare at the sky, half-expecting Kayaba to appear again and go on about what a hilarious prank that was.

Her thoughts were getting stupider by the second.

That wouldn't happen.

Just as the peaceful silence could not continue on.

Someone broke the trance the players were all absorbed in with a high pitched scream. It was followed by another scream. And another. Until panic gripped the square. The crowd was suddenly moving. Miri just wanted to lie down and waste away. She couldn't run. She couldn't fight her way through. It was all too much. Someone's foot collided with her shoulder.

"Out of the way," another man barked, when she still remained in place.

It would be nicer to waste away. To close her eyes and sleep until something happened to bring her back to the real world. Wouldn't it be nice to have a good nap, and wake up to see her mother's concerned frown? To reassure her everything was just a nightmare, and none of it was real?

She closed her eyes so tight they hurt. But when she opened them things remained the same. The clearing was almost emptied. Her HP bar had taken a bit of a battering.

She saw a little boy in the corner of the square. He was crying. An older lady next to him was trying to calm him down.

Saki.

That's right…

Saki.

Just the name spurred her on. She scurried to her feet. She looked around, hoping desperately to see her little sister there.

"S-Saki!"

No reply.

Miri couldn't stay here. Her sister…she had to find her. She opened the friends menu. She almost didn't want to look. Would Saki be alive? Was she…okay?

She forced herself to click on the option 'friends list.'

Next to Saki's username was a green light.

Online.

Miri exhaled in relief. Just seeing that was enough to give her hope.

She had to find Saki. Yeah…she couldn't leave her by herself. If there was anything that girl was hopeless at, it was gaming.

She felt a smile tug at the corners of her lips. She was so tired…they should have logged off earlier.

But she couldn't think of that just yet. Every urge in her body screamed 'give up and go to sleep.'

But for Saki's sake she had to keep going. With an unsteady step Miri found herself stumbling out of the square.

"Saki!" she called again.

Pandemonium had erupted in the city. She checked the friends list again. Saki was still online.

Everything would be okay. That was the promise she'd made to her long ago. Everything will be okay. Nothing's gonna change.

She collapsed again. Heaving. Breathing felt hard. Someone approached her; they bent down to the ground and placed a hesitant hand on her back.

She heard their words, but they sounded so distant. "You okay?"

_Do I look okay to you?_

Miri shook the hand off her back. She ran. Far away. Or as far away as she could muster. She felt feverish. Was that even possible in this game? Or was her mind just playing tricks on her?

She ended up in an alley, leaning against the cool stone walls for support. She slipped down to the ground again.

She had to find Saki.

She had to.

Tears stung her eyes. She had never asked for this. She just wanted to go home…

The more she thought of Saki the more exhausted she became. Her vision blurred. She tried to lift herself to her feet, but she collapsed again. Miri closed her eyes. Even thinking was hard. Her brain throbbed with every thought, every confused feeling she felt in her chest. She rested her head against the wall. It would surely be nice to sleep…

Finally she could see nothing but darkness. Hear nothing but the sound of her beating heart.

_ End of chapter one— _

* * *

><p><em><em>AN - Hello. This was a story published on my other account a while back (I only published the first chapter); however, I lost the email for that account. So I am republishing here. This story will be 20 chapters. :)__


	2. No Matter the Cost

**A/N - Apologies for the delayed update. I've been very busy with the holidays. Now this story will be updated regularly.  
><strong>

**Also, just to clarify,  
><strong>

**_gaijin_ - Japanese word for foreigner**

**_cor_ - Sword Art Online currency**

* * *

><p>"Are you okay?"<p>

When Miri awoke, she half-expected her father to be standing over her bed, frantically checking her temperature. She felt hot all over, and her throat was uncomfortably dry.

Groggy, Miri pulled herself up and absorbed her surroundings.

She was in a room that wasn't her own. In a bed that was not her own. And in clothes…that she certainly couldn't afford. She wiped her forehead and heaved a heavy sigh. So…it wasn't a dream.

Yesterday…everything that had happened was real.

Then that meant…

_Saki._

Her heart lurched, and at once she opened the menu. Scrolling down to her friends list her mouth turned dry and her shoulders quivered. What if…? She desperately tried to shake the frightening thoughts away; she couldn't think of that yet. At the top of the menu, on a transparent bar, the date blared back at her. _12:04pm November 7__th__._

"…Excuse me?"

Shocked, Miri looked up and stared. There, before her, was a mature, beautiful teenager. Her long and flowing ginger hair fell past her shoulders. Her eyes were a bright green, and her pudgy face was sprinkled with freckles. Her red blouse showed off her chubby legs and arms, and a dainty ribbon tied it all together at the very front.

"Wait, calm down!" The woman's voice was calm and soothing. "Don't worry. I found you in an alleyway. You were half-conscious and dazed. So I brought you to an inn." She smiled. "Everything's okay now." Miri felt the tension leave her shoulders. Something about this woman was so gentle and kind – maybe it was her motherly voice, or the compassionate light in her hazel eyes.

"I'm Chris," the woman offered. She spoke with a heavy American accent. "My guild and I have been helping people like you-"

"Then you must've seen my sister!" Tears pricked Miri's eyes, and her breath hitched. "She's…she sticks out in a crowd. Spiky pink hair…rainbow jumpsuit…you can't miss her, she-"

"Calm down." The woman's voice was firm, and Miri immediately hushed. "First of all, check your friends list and send her a private message. Despite all this…pandemonium, you must remember it is a game."

Miri opened the menu and the contacts list. Her finger hovered over the 'friends' option for a few seconds – she wasn't sure she wanted to know the truth. If she clicked…and…saw Saki was 'offline…'

Miri closed her eyes and pressed the button. A second later she squinted. Through the haze of her vision she saw a bright green light next to a familiar username – _saki_ is online._

All at once the fog in Miri's mind cleared. She let out a long sigh of relief, all worries dissipating in mere seconds. Her sister was fine. She'd send her a message, and they'd reconvene. Opening the tracker, another window popped up, detailing Saki's whereabouts. _The Monument of Life._

Chris smiled. "I take it she's safe?"

"Yeah…I'll send her a message now."

"How old is she?"

"Eight," Miri replied, as she typed. _"Saki! Don't panic, it's your sister. I know where you are, so stay put. I'll come and get you." _Pressing send, Miri's shoulders drooped and she took a few deep breaths to calm her shaken nerves. Chris waited patiently. Miri was grateful for her steady presence.

"Do you know her whereabouts? I have friends all over Starting City. I can have someone keep an eye on her, so she doesn't wander off."

"The Monument of Life," Miri murmured, with no idea on what exactly that place was. Chris seemed to tense up at that name. "But if it's okay – I'd like to go get her now. Thank you for all your help." She bowed in gratitude, her thoughts occupied on a reunion with her sister.

"Here – I'll take you. I know where that…_place_…is." A strong note of disgust rung in her voice and a small glimmer of nervousness awoke in Miri's heart. Chris suddenly forced a laugh to lighten the mood. "Oh don't worry. It's not a bad place, per se…no monsters there, or rough guilds. It's just…"

Miri swallowed. "Just what?"

Chris paused. Then, with a deep breath, she finally spoke. "Every player is recorded on a stone tablet within that building. Those whom have died are included also. The time of death, the cause…it's all there. In other words, it's a place for the dead."

* * *

><p>It was surreal to stand before the building, knowing that inside it held every name of those whom had perished within the game. It was as though this very establishment was confirmation on their current situation. This was no joke – it had already been a day since Miri's fainting, and still the logout button was nothing more than a blank space.<p>

In the time it had taken to walk here, guided by Chris, Saki hadn't messaged back. Though she was still online, Miri couldn't help herself from fretting on the inside. And just why was she at such a strange place?

Chris opened the door, and beckoned Miri in. For a second Miri hesitated – then, she stepped inside, and gasped.

The interior was designed to look like the empty room of a palace. The roof reached high, and thin slants for windows allowed streaks of light to touch the blue cobbles below. Everything had a sheen azure glow. But despite the beautiful architecture the room carried an ominous vibe. Everything was unnaturally quiet. The air cackled with tension, and the freezing cold made the hairs on Miri's neck prickle in unease.

And there, in the very middle of the room, menacing in its size and spine-chilling with its content was a large tablet. It was made completely of stone, though its writing had a blue techno font to it. Miri stepped forward, slightly intimidated by its size but drawn to the names it held on its surface. A few people stood in front of the tablet – some sobbing, others gazing at its writing with wide eyes. So engrossed was she by the Monument of Life that she almost didn't notice her sister, staring with the same mesmerized expression at the large stone tablet.

"So…they're all dead?"

Miri's heart lurched. There, standing before her, was Saki. She was still in her ridiculous getup. But Saki didn't even seem surprised to see her sister again – her eyes were locked on the tablet, scanning names both untouched and crossed out. Miri didn't know what to say. She couldn't even nod. All hope seemed doused when seeing how many people had died so far – was it 200? 300? She couldn't count.

Saki sniffed, and turned to face her sister. Her eyes were wet with tears. "Miri...I'm scared." Saki looked at her with wide, terrified eyes. Miri felt a sudden pressure on her shoulders, weighing her down and squeezing the air from her lungs. She couldn't do this - she was only twelve herself. She just wanted to wake up from this terrible nightmare, to be back in the real world, even if that included their mum's different boyfriends. She didn't know what to say; so, fumbling for words, she just said the first thing on her mind.

"There's no reason to be scared. The government will have people working round the clock to free everybody. I promise you that we'll be out of this game in no time."

To Miri those words couldn't have sounded hollower.

"They're…gone forever aren't they," she sniffed.

"We don't know that!" Miri didn't think before blurting those words out. She bit her tongue and avoided Saki's gaze. But it was true – they didn't know that. They only had the words of Kayaba to take for certainty. It was still possible that – maybe – players would simply wake up after perishing in Sword Art Online. She doubted it…but those words seemed to give Saki hope.

The little girl looked back at the tablet and shivered. Then, turning to Miri, she began to cry. Tears streamed from her eyes like a waterfall, and painful sobs tore from her throat. Miri looked at Saki, numb, before wrapping her sister in a hug – just as Saki had once done to her after a certain, crushing event.

When finally she had no more tears to cry Saki pulled away, and wiped her eyes. Sniffling, she mumbled, "can I c-change my hair now?"

The request caught Miri off-guard. Then, she laughed. Saki forced a laugh too. So long as she wasn't crying.

Miri almost forgot about Chris. The woman had been watching from the door, averting her eyes from the stone tablet. A wash of gratitude flooded over Miri when she remembered her kindness.

"You're ready?" Chris asked. Miri and Saki nodded. The older teenager smiled, and waved them outside. Chris' eyes lingered on the tablet for a few seconds longer – then, with what Miri thought was a relieved sigh – closed the door behind her.

* * *

><p>"I know this must be overwhelming. I understand how shaken you must be – but we cannot lose hope." Outside of that terrible building, Miri closed her eyes and listened to Chris' soothing words. "I believe that in a week, two at most, the government will hack into Sword Art Online's system and disable whatever lock Kayba has on the logout function. It's a great tragedy, yes, for the many people we've already lost. But we must focus on preventing any more casualties."<p>

Chris spun on her heels and turned to face the two. "Forgive me, but I have not properly introduced myself. I am Chris Robinson, 18 years old and originally from America. I'm studying to be a nurse – but on my break, I decided to visit Japan for the release of Sword Art Online." She chuckled. "What a mistake that turned out to be."

"You helped us, though," said Miri. "For that I'm so grateful. I was such a mess this morning."

"Most were," reasoned Chris. "This isn't something that happens every day. My friends have managed to round up a few kids, and are holding them at the Church. I'll take you two there." Miri didn't want to bother Chris any more than she already had – however, her motherly demeanor and reassuring words were like a warm blanket wrapped around Miri's and Saki's shoulders. Staying with Chris just felt right – as though all would work out in the end, and there was no reason to worry.

Saki walked uncertainly next to Miri. She was looking at the ground, her eyes glazed and unfocused. Miri clasped her sister's hand in her own – a lot had happened, and now wasn't the time for their banter.

Chris strode forward. She walked fast, and Miri found she had to jog to keep up with her. When the teen slowed her pace to match Miri's, she couldn't help looking at her in awe. Miri had always admired teenagers; they were mature, on the cusp of adulthood, something she envied. And they were always surrounded by friends, gossiping about makeup, boys and the latest trends – another thing she envied.

This teen was definitely a foreigner. Never had she seen such long and ginger hair. Her eyes were a bright green, and her mature face was sprinkled with freckles. Her red blouse showed off her legs and arms, and a dainty ribbon gave her an elegant look.

"You're American, right?" Miri couldn't help herself. She knew it was rude, but she hadn't met someone from America before.

The woman grinned. "You're perceptive. How could you tell? Do I reek of _gaijin_?"

"N-No!" Miri laughed. Though that wasn't entirely true; her Japanese, though understandable, was incredibly formal, and her accent was heavy. "I just thought…"

"Relax. It was a joke. Look, it's the Church."

The Church looked warm and inviting. Young and old flocked inside and out. People were working together in a time of need – some beta testers cooked recipes, while others bought food from shops and transferred it into the items' menu of the hungry. A small crowd of children huddled together, some crying, others simply looking downcast at the ground. An older woman sat with them, her presence a simple comfort.

"Chris!"

A cheery young man waved to the woman, and greeted her with an energetic high five. "New recruits?" he winked. Saki blushed and hid behind the hem of Miri's skirt. He laughed and gave thumbs up. "We can never have enough friends. Would you like some food, kiddo?"

"It's not kiddo!" came Saki's muffled reply. "It's…Saki."

"And you?" the man said. Miri blinked in surprise, and pointed at herself. "Yes, you," he repeated, with a chuckle.

"Oh! Miri!" she replied, a small smile playing on her lips. He was a lot like Chris, but in his own way – playful instead of mature, and brotherly as opposed to motherly.

Chris sighed and rolled her eyes. "All right, Haru. How are the preparations?"

"Everything's going well. The Church is filled, so we're sending some people to inns."

"Thank you for the help." Chris' eyes shone with sincerity. "Now hurry up and get back to work – I don't pay you to be slouching about."

"You don't pay me at all," he protested. Chris gave him a good-natured push and sent him on his way. "I'll see you around," he called back. Saki peeked from behind Miri and waved.

"He was a beta tester," Chris said after he was out of earshot. "That's how he has all his money. What could we do without them?" The beta-testers had early access to Sword Art Online, so naturally had more cor and experience than a player whom started just yesterday. Miri hadn't thought much about the beta-testers, but it suddenly occurred to her that they would know how to take down the first few bosses. That could be an advantage – but it seemed no one was thinking of grinding and boss battling yet. Those who were in shock were too weak or scared to even contemplate risking their lives, and the stronger players were either busy helping them, or grouping in guilds and discussing their next course of action. _I suppose there isn't much of a need to try and clear the floors. The government will have people working around the clock to free us. We'll be out of here in no time._

Besides…there was something much more interesting that caught Miri's attention. The strong smell of rich butter wafted through the air. Miri's stomach growled. She thought of how long it had been since she'd eaten – yesterday morning she'd barely had a proper breakfast, either.

"Feel free to eat your fill," said Chris, seeing Miri's hungry eyes on the tables of hot bread. Miri didn't need to be told twice. Walking towards the tables the strong smell of cooking clogged her mind and blurred her senses. A woman with short green hair transferred some bread to her inventory. Pressing accept, Miri clicked on the item's name and allowed it to materialize in her hands.

It was delicious - after one cautious bite Miri found herself wolfing it down in mere seconds. The richness of the melted butter and the soft fluffy texture of the bread was enough to satisfy Miri and lift her spirits. Beside her Saki sighed happily, the bread cupped lovingly in her small hands.

"Hey – where's Chris?"

Miri hadn't even realized it, but the teenager had vanished. The woman with green hair gave her a tired look.

"Probably gone back into town. She's working hard to roundup as many stragglers as possible. _Though look where it's ended us up – using our hard earned money on sniffling cowards."_

"Don't be like that, Midori. A lot of them are just kids," Haru laughed.

Midori sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "Sooner or later you'll run out of gold. We can't keep paying for people's inns. They're going to have to find their own way of surviving."

Haru elbowed her, and Midori scowled and shooed him away. With a threatening glare at the two watching sisters, Miri and Saki decided to follow his lead; Midori certainly didn't seem like she desired any company.

"Sorry about her," said Haru with a shrug. "Her heart's in the right place. She just doesn't handle stress very well." Saki sleepily clutched Miri's arm, mumbling about how tired she felt. The three stopped outside an inn. It was already swarming with people, some already requesting guilds to join.

"The church is full – so stay here as long as you need. It's on me." Inside the crowds reminded her of the claustrophobic lines and swarms in Akihabara. It was only yesterday they had bought Sword Art Online, but it already felt like an eternity. "A lot of people are going to wait things out here. It shouldn't be too long before this ordeal is over."

Haru waited with them in the line, and booked them a room for a week. "I'll send someone here for you on the seventh day," he said, once they were out of that trailing line, "and we'll see what to do then. But for now just rest. Who knows, you might be out of this game and back home by tomorrow morning."

Saki's face brightened at that. "Mum's probably really worried about us," she said helpfully.

"Well when you see her again you can tell her you've been on a really cool adventure." Haru winked, and yet again Saki blushed and hid behind Miri's skirt. Miri could almost roll her eyes at her sister's crush.

Just as Haru was about to leave, Miri rushed a hasty goodbye. "Thanks," she added – she wasn't sure how to thank somebody for paying for an inn, and giving her free food. She looked away shyly; she wasn't used to talking with teenagers.

Haru didn't reply. Just smiled, gave her thumbs up, and left. They were alone again. She knew Chris and Haru had more important things to attend to. But once they were gone she was nearly swamped by an overwhelming feeling of apprehension.

"I hope we see them again," Saki murmured. Miri nodded her agreement.

Their rooms were upstairs. Thankfully they had two beds – Miri sure as hell didn't want to share one with her sister – and she collapsed gratefully on the squishy mattress. She looked up at the ceiling, and sighed. The two said nothing for a long while. After a few minutes Miri must have drifted into a slumber. She was too tired to even dream.

* * *

><p>For a week they stayed at that inn. Every day Miri awaited something; though she wasn't too sure what. The first day was lonely. With no one to talk to she and Saki had simply sat in their room, unsure on what to do next.<p>

The second day was slightly better. Whilst Miri napped Saki had left their room to explore. When Miri awoke to find Saki nowhere she nearly panicked – until she found her sister at the inn's lobby, surrounded by children her own age. She was laughing and chattering to them. Many of the kids here had their parents with them, and their eyes were brighter than the lonely children Miri had seen at the church. Being surrounded by family made a big difference. She thought of her mother – and realized, rather numbly, she did not miss her as Saki did.

The third day was the worst. After seeing her new friends with their parents Saki had become homesick. For that whole day she lay in bed, miserable. Miri hadn't known what to do. Her sister wouldn't eat, and refused to talk. All she did was cry silent tears. At night, when the moon was nigh and Miri was just about to drift off to sleep, she heard her sister's quiet sobs. Even if she covered her ears, and buried her head beneath the pillows, she could still hear Saki's muffled sniffles.

For the next few days nothing changed. There was no miraculous appearance of the logout button. No matter how many times Miri checked it still remained a blank space. She'd press it repeatedly, as if expecting it to somehow magically log her out. But nothing would happen.

She did not miss her mother – how could she? She and Miri had never been on the best of terms. But she did miss her friends. The people she talked to online, whom she stayed up all night with chatting about the latest anime, certain trends and other trivial aspects of their mundane lives. Everybody had told her that such friendships were empty, and fragile. But, as she lay in bed thinking about Calli and Kiri, and the other people she'd gotten to know, she realized the friends she'd never even met were the people she missed most about the real world.

Soon, it was the sixth day in their stay at the inn. There was no government breakthrough. On this day, when Saki felt good enough to play in the lobby with her friends, a thought crossed Miri's mind.

What if they would never logout?

What would happen to their bodies?

Would they have to live out the rest of their lives within a game?  
>She felt so lonely. She missed Chris, and Haru. She had not known them long, but they were so comforting. When she was near them, a life in-game didn't sound so bad after all. She shook her head, as if to rid her mind of such a stupid thought.<p>

"Hey. Hey!" Saki poked Miri in the cheek. Miri gave her a withering glare.

"What?"

"There's an army in the lobby!" Saki's voice was surging with urgency. "You gotta come see this, Miri."

_An army in the lobby? _"What are you even talking about?"

Saki didn't reply. She jumped off the bed and gave her sister an impatient look. "Come on! Let's go."

Miri sighed, and followed closely behind. Her sister's eyes were lit with a familiar spark; seeing her so lively again was comforting.

Miri hadn't realized it, but the inn was noisy today. _Really _noisy. The chatter of many voices drifted down the hall, growing louder every second. Near the door to the lobby, a girl Saki's age leaned against the frame.

"You get to go in?" she asked. "Cool. My mum said I can't."

Saki looked rather proud at that. Then, with an annoyed look at Miri – probably because she was too short to reach the doorknob – Miri sighed and pushed open the door.

It wasn't unusual for the inn's lobby to be crowded. People commonly ate their meals at the tables, and others rendezvoused with guilds or friends. She was stunned, however, by just how many people were crammed within the room today. It was impossible to not brush an arm with some stranger; there was disgruntled pushing, shoving, and some unlucky individuals were pushed back against the wall. Someone shoved her out of the way; another bumped square into her shoulder. Saki glowered at a woman who stepped on her foot. Tired of being pushed around, Miri ruthlessly elbowed her way past the thick throngs of people, until she was at the very front.

There, a man with long blue hair stood upon a table. Donned in protective armor, with calculating blue eyes and a naturally confident aura, Miri knew immediately he was recruiting for a guild.

"Announcing you're a beta tester in front of a crowd? You must be so proud," said someone in a condescending tone. "How's that meant to make us feel better about you? From what I've heard your kind are dishonest and selfish."

"Why would we even consider joining your crappy guild?" a woman snapped, glaring at the man. "Sooner or later the government will log us out. I sure as hell won't risk my life for a beta tester."

"Yeah," another chorused. "Just where exactly are the beta testers anyway? You've got some nerve, showing up and asking for our help when all the beta testers vanished."

The man's shoulders drooped, though when he spoke his voice was still calm and firm. "Firstly, it has nearly been a week since we all found ourselves trapped within this game. We know little of Sword Art Online's security system, though we can assume it's incredibly tough to breakthrough. Maybe even tougher than the latest firewall. Hackers are not coming to our rescue any time soon. Secondly, the beta testers are not in hiding. While you all sulk and laze around, they're doing most of the damn work. We're trying to help you." Despite his collected attitude, an edge of agitation sharpened his voice.

"Well the beta testers know more about Sword Art Online than the new players," said an older teen. "Why don't you form your own guild and beat the game for us? You have the experience."

"It's not as easy as that…"

"Of course it isn't," he said, voice dripping with sarcasm, "we all know what the beta testers are really like. They're selfish solos players; all they worry about is how much cor they have in their banks. They couldn't care less about being trapped in this game. It's heaven for them."

"I met a beta tester a few days ago," another added. "He bought a really expensive house, and was living it up like this was just a vacation."

"Hear that? We don't want you here."

"That's not true!"

For a moment Miri wondered who had spoken. Beside her, looking fiery and unintimidated was Saki. Everybody turned to stare. The young girl shrunk a little under their sharp gazes, but she refused to look away. "Haru helped us, and he's a beta tester. Right, Miri?"  
>Miri's face flushed. It was one thing to stand unnoticed in the middle of a crowd; but to actually be the center of attention? She silently swore at Saki for the predicament she was now in.<p>

"I-It's true…A lot of people at the Church were beta testers. I don't think it's fair to…to judge them. They're doing all they can."

"See?" said the beta tester, looking rather surprised at the two. "We're doing all we can. We may have an advantage in the game, but this is overwhelming for us too. No miracle will save us now. We all know the genius of Kayaba Akihiko; to leave this game, we have to defeat all one hundred floors. He won't make it easy for us to be rescued. He wants us to play by his rules. So this is what I propose - we start at the first floor; we'll grind for as long as we can, and then maybe in a month's time we'll all gather and take down the first boss."

The crowd shared dubious looks. Then someone said, "I'll join. I've had enough of moping around with you lot." He stepped forward, blazing blue sword at his side.

A few other people came forward too. The man, who revealed himself as Diavel, took their names; many others muttered, and after a few minutes the crowd dispersed. Only five people had joined Diavel's guild.

Miri watched admirably. So these players were really going up against the first boss…she wondered how they'd fare.

"They must be brave," she mused. "Saki, come on, let's-

Before she knew it, Saki had left her side and was confronting Diavel.

"I'll join too!" she stated proudly. Diavel looked down at her, before laughing.

"Sorry, kid. I think you're a little too young to join this guild."

"It's not kid, it's Saki! And maybe I'm really good at games and stuff!"

"Really? What's your level?"

"It's over 9000!"

"Your stats?"

"All in the millions!"

"Do you even know what stats are?"

"Mathematical statistics." She smirked at Diavel and placed her hands on her hips. Miri sighed. She didn't exactly want to speak to the beta tester; as confident as he was, he had a rather intimidating aura.

"Saki, come on, don't annoy him."

"She's okay." Diavel jumped down from his table and stretched. "Thanks though. I never expected a couple of kids to stick up for the beta testers."

"Well…one helped us at the Church."

Diavel rolled his eyes. Miri looked at him in surprise. "Sorry. I appreciate what they're doing, but they have no intention of even beating the first floor. They just want to live comfortably until someone comes to save them."

"What's wrong with that?" She took a step back; Diavel was tall, and she felt uncomfortable when he stared down at her. "Hackers will be working around the clock to save us. We'll be out of here in no time."

"That's exactly what I mean," Diavel scoffed. His shoulders slumped, and he heaved a deep sigh. "Sorry. I'm not trying to say that what they're doing is wrong. But we beta testers do have an in-game advantage; it's people like Haru who give us a bad name. They should use their experience to help eliminate the first boss."

Saki looked defensively at Diavel, but Miri did not reply. She understood his point…in some weird way. As grateful as she was for Haru's and Chris' help, maybe they should try and strengthen guilds with their knowledge. As each day passed it seemed more and more unlikely the government would log them out.

"Here's a piece of advice; in this world you can't wait for someone to rescue you. If you want to get what you want then you have to work for it yourself." He winked at the two, though he barely seemed enthusiastic about his words. Miri realized he was tired.

With that Diavel and his new recruits retreated to the lobby's exit. He did not look back at the two sisters. Miri watched them wistfully; she wasn't exactly sure what should be done. It had only been six days and already tension in-game was high.

The lobby was unnaturally quiet when Diavel left. A few people hung around at tables, drinking or muttering secretively. Saki ran back to her friend, to tell her what had happened.

It occurred to Miri she could not stay at the inn forever. Sooner or later she'd have to make a decision. But what could she choose? Diavel's words rung in her mind. If she wanted something then she couldn't sit around waiting for it. She had to do something.

She looked at Saki, chattering to her friend. Tonight she knew her little sister would change; she'd cry, and sob for her mother. Hearing Saki so alone and homesick…

She remembered what she'd promised Saki at the Monument of Life.

_"I promise you,_ w_e'll be out of this game in no time."_

Miri intended to keep the promise she had made. No matter the cost.

_-End of Chapter 2_


End file.
